Paul Nicklen’s picture of bubble-jetting emperor penguins, at the edge of the Ross Sea in Antarctica, won him the overall title of Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year.

Paul, from Canada, had to remain motionless, his legs locked under the ice, waiting for the penguins. Despite frozen fingers, he managed to capture the moment the birds blasted from the depths.

He said: “It was a fantastic sight. Hundreds launched themselves out of the water and on to the ice above me.

“It was a moment that I felt incredibly fortunate to witness and one I’ll never forget.”

Judge and acclaimed underwater photographer David Doubilet said: “This image draws us in for a glimpse of the emperor penguin’s private world at the end of the earth. I love this image because it shows perfectly organised, infinite chaos.”

The image was selected from 18 category winners, depicting nature at its finest, from displays of peculiar animal behaviour to stunning landscapes.

They included a golden eagle chasing a red fox in Bulgaria and a snow goose taking on an arctic fox in Russia.